Moving Day
by samantilles
Summary: Part 9 of the Young Daniel Series.  Daniel-Age 11-Daniel is moved out of his first home after starting St. Antholian's, and everything he's come to know is in doubt.
1. Exodus from the Beckers

_Moving Day_ is the 9th installment of the Young Daniel Series, and to date is my longest. Daniel, at age 11, has just now settled into life at St. Antholian's in the 9th grade, when circumstances force a surprise move from his foster home, and his caseworker is not there to make the move herself. This is the first part of a double story, finishing with "Day Off" which will soon be completed.

For more information on the Young Daniel Series, please visit the Introduction located in my profile at my Dreamwidth.

Please note reader should be familiar with "First Day" to understand the strong bond between Daniel and his school environment. Please also note that not all stories in the series have been completed in order. Part 8 has not been published, and does not impact this story. Parts 1 & 3 also have not been published yet.

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><p><strong>Title:<strong> Moving Day  
><strong>Author:<strong> samantilles  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG/T  
><strong>Fandom:<strong> Stargate: SG-1  
><strong>Spoilers:<strong> Stargate: The Movie, 2x04 The Gamekeeper, 3x21 The Crystal Skull  
><strong>Category:<strong> Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Childhood  
><strong>Series:<strong> Young Daniel  
><strong>Part in Series:<strong> 9  
><strong>Word Count:<strong> 18,553  
><strong>Beta:<strong> many many thanks to DennyJ for beta'ing and running it through several times with a fine tooth comb!

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><p>Bill Newman turned back towards his desk to answer the phone just as he was heading out for the weekend. The District Attorney's office called to warn the Department of Social Services that a couple with a foster child would be served a warrant for arrest for tax evasion and fraud, and that the police would conduct a raid for suspected illicit materials that they were selling. The District Attorney's office wanted the child removed from the home before the warrant was served and the raid conducted on Monday, but whatever excuse Bill came up with would suffice. Bill Newman agreed and thanked the caller before hanging up with a sigh. He looked out his glass office walls to the emptying office. Realizing if he didn't move quickly, he would not be able to get the move done in time before everyone left for the weekend. He retrieved the file in question, a one Daniel Jackson, and searched the front of the file for the current caseworker. Nancy Johnson, it read. "Damn." She was out of town until the middle of the following week, as her sister passed away yesterday.<p>

He took another look around the office and spotted Nanine Rogers packing up her lunch bag and getting to leave for the rest of the day. She was always looking for extra hours from her colleagues, and she regularly did weekend relocations for others. He took the file over to her desk and casually asked, "Need some extra hours? I've got an emergency relocation needed for this weekend, and its all yours."

Nanine took the file with a huff. "You know I don't do special needs, Bill." He expected this answer from her. The bright orange sticker along the edge of the file told her all she needed to know about the child, and she frequently made her feelings known about the special needs kids and the trouble they caused. The boy was another one of Nancy's hopeless troublemakers.

"Look, you know Nancy's out of town, and he needs to be moved before the police show up Monday morning to arrest the foster parents on tax evasion. They just don't want the kid in the way. You've done special needs before, and all the paperwork is the same." He looked around and watched as every other caseworker quickly exited the building, having noticed Bill coming around with weekend work.

"Fine, I'll take it. Its not like I had anything planned this weekend. But I will do it tomorrow. George is waiting for dinner." She grabbed up her purse and lunch bag as Bill stepped out of her way to allow her to leave.

"As long as it's before Monday morning, I'm happy."

* * *

><p>Saturday passed quickly for Nanine, but relocations often made the day move quickly. She looked at the jacket of the file, took note of the boy's birthday and calculated his age. She looked on the first sheet inside the file to find his current location and called in a request for police escort to the Becker's for Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock. She moved the file out of her way and pulled out the foster family registry, pulling open the tab for special needs-approved families. Nanine flipped to the back of the list and picked the last couple there, Mark and Lisa Urquhart, and then pulled their file. She shook her head in contemplation, mentally commenting that they had no idea what they were getting into once she saw this would be their first placement. Special needs children were frequently returned quickly and most families removed themselves from the category entirely. Once she had their address and school district information, the paperwork went quickly, from the change of school enrollment and pulling of bus schedules. She put together a special needs packet for the family, including instructions on how to deal with unruly children and resources to call should they get in over their heads.<p>

Nanine did not once look inside of Daniel's file after she began the paperwork, relying instead on the age of the child to determine his school year, placing him in the sixth grade. The New York City school system was quite good at sorting out special needs students who are misplaced when transferred, and she assumed MacArthur Middle would handle any issues if he were held back a year or two.

Late Saturday evening, she gave the Urquharts a phone call to let them know she would be delivering Daniel to them Sunday evening. They seemed quite excited to receive their first foster child. She didn't have the heart to break it to them that they were receiving a special needs child, but they would find out soon enough.

* * *

><p>Daniel stood on the kitchen stool scrubbing out Mrs. Becker's prize spaghetti pot when he heard a knock on the door. No matter how much homework he had, Sunday always meant household chores to keep the Beckers happy. Laundry began bright and early in the morning, and the bathroom was always clean before Mr. Becker woke up at noon. He was nearly done with the kitchen, having scrubbed the floor and wiped down the windows. All he had left was the last of the dishes and vacuuming the TV room, and he would be done for the day. Hopefully he would then have several solid hours where he could start studying for his Latin exam the next morning.<p>

He stopped the scrubbing and watched to see if either of the Beckers would answer the door. He heard the second knock, and stepped down to answer it. Wiping his wet hands on his pants, he opened the door to see a woman and a police officer.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you Daniel Jackson?" The woman asked, peering over her glasses at him. The police officer stood stoically out of the way.

"Who are you?" He smarted back, refusing to open the door any further and suggest she was welcome to come in.

"Nanine Rogers, Department of Social Services. Go get your things packed, Daniel."

Daniel stared at her. "I don't know you; you are not my case worker."

Nanine huffed and showed her Social Services ID to him. "Mrs. Johnson is out of town this weekend. I'm taking her place. Now go get packed while I explain this to the Beckers."

Daniel examined the ID closely before calling out for Mrs. Becker. The muumuu-clad lady opened the door wider. "Who the hell are you? You're interrupting our TV time."

Daniel disappeared to his room, and despite being annoyed at the lady who showed up, eagerly looked forward to leaving the Beckers. He had been in the system long enough to know they used him as a servant boy and enjoyed the benefits of the extra paycheck, but they left him alone when he did what they told him to do and they didn't stop him from going to school. He quickly packed up his ragged clothes and pulled out his suitcase of precious belongings out of the corner of his closet. In all the time he had been at the Beckers, he never unpacked his suitcase; he opened it on occasion and lovingly cared for the items in it, but always returned them to the suitcase when he was finished.

* * *

><p>Nanine was waiting impatiently at the door for Daniel, and Mrs. Becker was out on the patio with the phone shouting about something. He couldn't help but smile when the phone cord, caught in the closed patio door, stopped Mrs. Becker from pacing back and forth. Nanine took a hold of his shoulder and escorted him out of the house. She joined him in the back of the police squad car, and Daniel found the ride to the new location a little offsetting. Normally Mrs. Johnson just took her car and sometimes they would stop for lunch on the way. She also talked to him and kept him talking in return.<p>

"Did you tell Rocco about the move?" Daniel asked, but Nanine shushed him. "Does the school know?"

"Of course it does. It'll expect you Monday morning. Now shush!" Nanine pulled a magazine out of her purse and began to peruse it, and Daniel quickly got the point that he was annoying her. He contemplated annoying her further, but he had no idea how much power she had over him. He longed for Mrs. Johnson to be here instead of this woman.


	2. Sunday Night

Mark and Lisa Urquhart sat quietly huddled up with each other on the couch, awaiting the new child they were about to foster. Lisa fidgeted while Mark kept a warm arm around her. "We are ready for this, right, Mark?"

"I think we are, honey. If we aren't now, we never will be. You will be a terrific mother, I'm sure!" Lisa snuggled closer to Mark but raised her head and focused on the window when she heard a car pull up in front of their home. She stood and quickly moved the curtain to see a police squad car pull up. A woman exited on the far side of the car as a small pre-teenage boy stepped out of the car door closest to the house. She straightened up her dress and fussed over her bracelet getting ready to answer the door. She took another peek out of the window to see the boy take a battered suitcase from the policeman after heaving a leather book satchel over his shoulder. She couldn't wait any longer, and opened the door prematurely, greeting the visitors with a large eager smile.

The policeman followed Mrs. Rogers and Daniel into the home and deposited the duffel bag right inside the door. He then stepped out without an introduction and retreated back to the squad car. Daniel stood just inside the doorway quietly looking around.

"Mr. and Mrs. Urquhart? Hi, I'm Nanine Rogers, we spoke on the phone, and this is Daniel Jackson." Nanine gave a fake smile as she patted Daniel's shoulder. "Daniel, this is Mr. and Mrs. Urquhart, who have kindly volunteered to take you in."

Daniel nodded to them before shuffling the suitcase in his hands to free up one to shake Mr. Urquhart's when proffered. "Welcome to our home, Daniel. We hope you enjoy your time here." Daniel murmured a thanks and a meek smile.

After a pregnant pause, Mrs. Rogers motioned to the couch. "Mr. and Mrs. Urquhart, we have some things to discuss, shall we sit down?" She seemed eager to break up the awkward silence.

"Oh, yes, of course, please! Can I get you anything?" Mrs. Urquhart replied, motioning to have everyone sit.

Daniel nodded no. "May I go lie down, please?"

Mrs. Urquhart looked at him concernedly, but noticed he looked weary as he was shifting his weight to handle his luggage. "Of course, your room is upstairs on the left, right across from the bathroom." She watched him begin up the stairwell with everything, including the duffel, and then stared at her husband. He immediately offered assistance, but Daniel declined and disappeared up the stairs.

Nanine cleared her throat so that she would get the Urquharts' attention. Lisa took a seat next to her husband, but before Mrs. Rogers had the opportunity to start her lecture, the grandfather clock rang six times, indicating the late hour. "Is it really that late?" Mrs. Urquhart commented, standing up. "Has Daniel had dinner yet?"

Mrs. Rogers could only shrug and Lisa was up the stairs in a flash to offer dinner to their new charge. She moved carefully to his bedroom door, which was wide open. She spied him sitting on the bed, still staring at nothing. She knocked softly on the open door to get his attention. He seemed to jump out of his thoughts and turned to face her. "Would you like some dinner? I can make you a sandwich or some pasta?"

"No, thank you. I had a late lunch at the other house. I'm just really tired."

His demure reply made her think he didn't like the fact he moved to their house. Maybe he was tired, but Lisa began to doubt herself.

"Very well, then. Sleep well, Daniel." She smiled warmly and shut the door behind her, allowing him some privacy. She desperately wanted to get to know him, but she remembered in the foster parent training to let the child lead the process in becoming acquainted, to not overwhelm the child too quickly.

She joined her husband again, quickly apologizing for the delay.

"No problem, Mrs. Urquhart. On to business. I noticed that you two were just cleared to accept special needs children and this is your first placement, right?" Both of the Urquharts nodded to Mrs. Rogers. "I want to put you on the right footing, taking on a child like Daniel. A special needs child demands a lot of attention. Generally there are two classifications for special needs, physical incapacity or mental, emotional, and behaviorally challenged. Boys especially who are classified as special needs are among the most unruly and wildly behaved children in Social Services. They are also the hardest to place, so having good folk like you two to take in a troubled boy is really commendable."

Lisa and Mark stared in shock at Mrs. Rogers. The training discussed this briefly, but never to the negative extent the caseworker had just indicated.

"But there are services to help you, and I highly suggest you take advantage of these. Firstly, it is the primary function of special needs parents to get their children to school. The school system is very well equipped to handle these children, and there are programs in place to keep them in line and give them the education they need to be productive adults in society. I've included documents with resources, including the bus schedule and the Truancy Squad phone number with the New York City Police Department. If for any reason your foster child does not willingly go to school, call the truancy officer and they will come and take him to school. I've enrolled Daniel as a sixth grader at MacArthur Middle School, which is right up the road. The school will see to it if he needs to be moved to another grade based on his previous schooling. The school also provides lunches already hot and prepared for foster children, so you don't need to worry about making sure he doesn't leave his lunch behind, or anything like that. They'll also provide the books, paper and pencils he'll need. Like I mentioned, the school system is more than well equipped to handle special needs children. They are a really great resource, and I have found that the children also respond well to the school's authority."

Lisa interjected, "what should we be looking for? How serious might this be?" Her voice was worried, and she was clenching Mark's hand tightly.

"Well, I am not Daniel's case worker, so I don't know him in particular, but the most frequent problems you will face with a special needs child include willful disobedience, temper tantrums and lying. Be vigilant about time spent away from the house after school hours, as sometimes the beginnings of a criminal lifestyle begin at this age, including petty theft, bullying and abuse to animals. Look, I don't say this to alarm you. Goodness knows I've probably just terrified you of the boy I brought over, but careful vigilance and use of the resources within the school system will make a huge impact in the child's life, and hopefully with a bit of strong parenting, a well structured life here in the home, and constant re-evaluation with Danny's case worker, I'm sure he will turn out well. Danny's normal case worker, Nancy Johnson, specializes in special needs, and she has a real heart for them. I'm sure when she returns from some time off she had to take, she'll fill you in much better than I can about Danny."

"Does he go by Daniel or Danny?" Mark inquired.

"I really don't know, Mr. Urquhart. Like I said, I'm not his case worker. Unfortunately Mrs. Johnson had to leave town on a family emergency, but we needed to move Daniel before the weekend was out."

"Why did he need to be moved this weekend? Is he in trouble?" Mrs. Urquhart sounded anxious.

Nanine waved her hand. "Oh no, nothing to do with Daniel. The family he was with is no longer qualified for foster care. I can't really go into details, but Daniel was not removed for any reasons concerning him." Both Mr. and Mrs. Urquhart sighed in relief. Looking at her watch, Mrs. Rogers stood up and reached out her hand. "I really must be going, but if you have any problems, don't hesitate to use the resource sheet I gave you. I'm sure Mrs. Johnson will be by when she returns to introduce herself to you two. Good luck!"

Both of the Urquharts shook her hand and Mark showed her to the door. The social worker retreated quickly to the squad car and within moments it was driving away from the Urquharts' townhouse. Mark hugged Lisa tightly. "Everything will be okay, sweetie."

They walked together to the den and Mark turned on the TV. They cuddled together on the large couch. "Do you think Daniel could be that bad, the way she described him?" Lisa pulled Mark closer to him. "He seemed so quiet. I can't imagine him acting out. When I went up to his room to offer him dinner, he was just sitting there, quiet as a church mouse. He looked a little out of it, now that I think about it. And so sad."

Mark stroked her hair gently. "I told you before we met him you'll be a great mother. Mrs. Rogers stated that good parenting and a loving environment will really help him in the long run. Whatever issues Daniel has we will help him overcome them. My mother once confided in me that when my older brother was driving her crazy with his antics, she knew that he was just testing her boundaries, daring her to stop loving him. She never gave up on him, and he turned out okay! He finally figured out that her love was unconditional and it was as if overnight he just stopped acting out. We can do the same for Daniel, for as long as he's with us." He kissed her on the forehead and settled into the couch comfortably with her in his arms. She sighed but settled into him, nervously rubbing her finger along his soft shirt as the two watched the evening news.

Lisa checked in on Daniel as she was heading to bed. Seeing him curled up, slightly shivering on the bed and still in the clothes he was wearing when he came into the home, she disappeared down the hall and pulled a blanket from the linen closet. She quietly returned to the room and draped the blanket over him. Even in his sleep, he sighed and reached for the edge of the blanket, pulling it closer. She didn't dare pull his glasses off of his face. She just hoped he didn't bend them out of shape.

* * *

><p>The minute Daniel was alone in his room, he realized he was really exhausted. He dropped the duffel and his book bag next to the bed. The suitcase sat next to him on the bed. Daniel did not understand why he was moved. Mrs. Johnson always explained why a move occurred when no obvious incident instigated it. He felt uneasy with Mrs. Rogers. She knew about St. A's; she said the school was aware of the situation and they were still expecting him Monday morning. This was the first move since he started St. A's, and even though Mrs. Johnson promised he'd never have to transfer schools again, he felt uneasy about this sudden move. If only Mrs. Johnson was here, it would all be okay.<p>

Daniel was startled out of his train of thought by a knocking at his bedroom door. He turned to face the door to realize Mrs. Urquhart was standing there, and maybe for more than a few seconds. "Would you like some dinner? I can make you a sandwich or some pasta?" Her concern seemed genuine, but Daniel didn't assume this eagerness would last longer than Mrs. Rogers' stay.

"No, thank you. I had a late lunch at the other house. I'm just really tired." It wasn't a lie; Mr. Becker woke up even later than normal that morning, so lunch wasn't served until almost two in the afternoon. But Daniel's motivations for the response was not truthful. He did not want to seem needy to another set of foster parents. His experience taught him to stay in the background if at all possible. Now that he was at St. Antholian's, almost all of his needs were met there.

"Very well, then. Sleep well, Daniel." She smiled warmly and shut the door behind her, allowing him some privacy. He sighed in relief as he seemed successful in fending off the eager introductions for a bit. It wouldn't last for long, but it bought him peace for that night.

He was tired, though he still needed to study. Apathy washed over him. He opened up the suitcase instead and pulled out his father's journal and a worn copy of his mother's book before locking the case closed, guiding it gently down to the floor and underneath the bed. He set his mother's book on the night stand next to his bed, noticing for the first time all the furniture and bedding looked new, not worn from years of fostering children. He would normally have appreciated it, but tonight he just didn't care to think about it. Holding his father's journal tightly to his chest with crossed arms, he laid himself down on the bed facing the wall, away from the door. He was asleep in minutes; he didn't even turn down the bed and crawl in between the sheets.


	3. The Incident

Mark and Lisa's morning routine normally involved Lisa sleeping in while Mark got up to go to work. Sometimes she would wake and plead for him to spend the day with her, lounging around, but often she didn't even notice Mark leaving in the morning.

Monday morning, however, Lisa was up and dressed before Mark's alarm clock went off at five.

"What do eleven year old boys eat for breakfast?" Mark didn't get a "good morning sweetie" or even a kiss from his wife before she bombarded him with that question. "He didn't eat dinner last night. Maybe he'd like some bacon, eggs?"

"Lisa, calm down! Everything is going to be just fine! I'm sure whatever you decide to make will be perfect! But why don't you ever make me breakfast?" Mark gave her a silly longing face.

Lisa laughed and immediately some of her stress went away. "You can make your own breakfast buddy. Daniel's a growing boy."

"He needs to grow then! You better pull out the bacon and get some meat on those bones!" Mark straightened his tie while looking in the mirror at his wife.

"You just want me to make you bacon, and you certainly don't need any more meat on your bones." She wrapped her arms around him from behind and straightened the tie before sweeping his shoulders with her hands. He turned and pulled her in for a gentle kiss, lifting her off her feet. She welcomed it and melted into his embrace.

Too soon he was letting go. "I'm running late. I gotta go before I miss the MTA Bus downtown. I'll call you after Daniel is on his way to school." She let go, wiping off the pink hint of lipstick on his upper lip. She nodded, and he grabbed his sport coat and headed out of the bedroom. She walked him to the door and held the door open. He gave her a quick kiss as he walked out the door. "I like this, you being awake when I leave. I love you, sweetie!"

She waved as he dashed down to his car. "I love you, too!"

"I want bacon tomorrow morning!" Mark shouted from the car before driving off.

"In your dreams, buddy," Lisa retorted as she closed the door with a smile on her face. The grandfather clock rang six times. Realizing the time, she pulled out the bus schedule. The bus was due at the corner at quarter after eight. Not knowing how long it would take Daniel to get ready, she contemplated waking him. She held off, remembering how tired he looked last night. If it came down to it, she would drive him to school herself and give him an extra few minutes to get ready if they were running late. She decided at the same time not to bombard the boy with her eagerness, and thought it best he tell her what he would like for breakfast. With an hour to spare and nothing to do this early in the morning, she quickly moved to straighten up the already spotless house. She prayed this would work out.

* * *

><p>Daniel woke up startled. He never slept well in a strange bed. He couldn't remember the blanket that was on top of him. His father's journal was still pressed against his chest. As he sat up, he realized he was still wearing his glasses as they sat askew on his face. He groaned and pulled them off, trying his best to determine if he'd bent them in the night. It was still dark outside, and he had to turn on a light to better see the damage. Thankfully the frames were only slightly bent, and he expertly corrected them with a careful strength.<p>

Daniel heard a faint discussion being held down the hall. The clock in his room read about half past five in the morning. Thinking it was too early to make his presence known, he quickly shut the light off and reached into his duffel bag and retrieved an old flashlight he used at the Beckers' to study in the dark. He also pulled out his Latin textbook and settled on the bed up against the wall, studying only by the light of the flashlight he held between his shoulder and his head.

* * *

><p>He felt prepared for his exam this morning after he went through the covered lessons for the second time. The clock read just after seven thirty, giving him plenty of time to get ready. He took out his toothbrush and a small bar of soap from his bag, along with a clean uniform, and silently crossed the hall to the bathroom. Despite a fresh toothbrush sitting out on the counter, he felt uneasy using it, preferring his old one. He efficiently showered and dressed, placing the towels he used back on the towel bar perfectly. He looked around as he walked out the bathroom door and made sure everything was exactly as he found it, and satisfied, turned out the light and returned to his bedroom.<p>

His decent down the stairs was quiet, and he left his school bag near the door. He took a quick look out the window, hoping to see Rocco out there already, even though he wasn't due for another fifteen minutes at eight-ten. Daniel heard someone in the kitchen, and mentally strengthened up to properly meet his new foster parent.

"Good morning!" Lisa smiled brightly seeing Daniel enter the kitchen. "Why don't you sit down and tell me what you'd like for breakfast?"

Daniel was surprised to see the eager happiness in Lisa, especially since the case worker was no longer around. "Um, I'm okay. I'm not hungry."

"A growing boy like you? I'll make some toast. You should at least eat something since you went to bed so early last night and didn't have dinner. Do you like toast?"

Daniel noticed she was really trying, so he acquiesced. "Toast is okay. Thank you, Mrs. Urquhart." He was relieved when Lisa smiled and began to busy herself with a loaf of bread and her toaster.

Several quiet minutes passed before she served up the hot buttered toast. "You're dressed nicely for school."

Daniel gave her a quizzical look. "I always dress this way for school." He was surprised she didn't understand about uniforms.

"Oh, that's nice. Well, you've got a few minutes before the bus arrives-"

Daniel interrupted her. "St. A's doesn't have a bus. Rocco should be outside in a minute."

"St. A's?" Lisa looked at him confusedly. "You're enrolled at MacArthur Middle. Mrs. Rogers said she saw to the enrollment herself. The bus will be here in-" she looked at her watch, "six minutes."

Daniel stood wide-eyed at her. "No! Rocco takes me to St. A's. Mrs. Rogers said the school knew!" He heard the panic in his voice. "I can't go back. Mrs. Johnson promised me."

"Daniel, you have to go to school. You will be on that bus." Lisa's voice was stern, but not angry. "Mrs. Rogers explained how you might try anything to get out of going to school, but acting out will not be tolerated in this house. Now, I suggest you go sit down and think about your actions and you will be on that bus in four minutes."

Daniel was shaking his head no, unable to believe what he was hearing. He rushed out of the kitchen to the front room, looked out the window and when he saw no Rolls Royce sitting out in front, he started panicking. He grabbed his school bag and rushed up the stairs to his room, shutting the door forcibly and locking it out of habit behind him. He began to pace wildly, remembering everything that occurred this weekend, the conversation with Mrs. Rogers running around in his head. Mrs. Johnson broke her promise. She promised him he wouldn't ever have to go back to public school. He belonged at St. Antholian's. He knew he did.

Too quickly his train of thought was broken when he heard a banging at the door; Mrs. Urquhart realized the door was locked when she shook the doorknob. "Daniel! The bus is here! Open up! Daniel!"

Tears were welling up in his eyes. He couldn't go back. Daniel retreated to the closet as the anxiety attack he was experiencing came to full force. He holed himself in, closing the door tightly, and curled himself into a ball. "I won't go back. I can't go back." Daniel felt his heart racing inside of his chest, constricting tightly and forcing him to breathe quickly, but as the anxiety attack continued taking its hold on him, he blocked out the rest of the world and focused only on the fear of what he'd just lost.

* * *

><p>The bus was long gone and the school day at MacArthur Middle school had already begun, but Lisa Urquhart was still trying to get Daniel to open the door. She was terrified now; she couldn't hear any movement whatsoever in the room. Twice she had gone outside to check that the window to Daniel's room was still closed and he wasn't hurt on the ground from trying to escape. When the phone rang and Lisa realized it was Mark calling as promised, she hesitated leaving the door. She needed Mark's advice desperately though, so she rushed down the stairs to pick up the phone on the sixth ring.<p>

"Decided to go back to bed?" her husband greeted. When no laugh was returned, Mark questioned further. "Honey, are you okay?"

Lisa broke out in tears. "Daniel's still upstairs. He absolutely refused to go to school this morning. I just don't understand it at all!"

"Mrs. Rogers warned us about this last night, Hun. I had hoped what she said was wrong, that it didn't apply to Daniel."

"I know, me too." Lisa grabbed the phone base and sat down on the floor against a wall in the kitchen. "I just don't understand. It was nothing like I expected. I expected him to not get out of bed, to refuse to get ready, but this morning he walked down to the kitchen, overdressed for school, and insisted he went to another school. Could it have been his previous school? You know, from his previous set of foster parents?"

"I don't know honey, that's very possible. He may have had a few friends there."

Lisa broke out in tears. "I basically called him a brat! Maybe it's just confusion about the change! How could I not have thought about that!"

"Everything will be okay, Sweetie. Just remember what Mrs. Rogers said, the most important thing is to get Daniel to school. No matter what the situation is, he still needs to go. Use the phone number she gave you for the truancy officer. I'm sure whoever they send will have seen this a thousand times. We just have to trust the system."

Lisa wiped her eyes free of tears. "Of course, you're right. God I wish you were here right now. I'll talk to you soon."

They exchanged farewells, and as soon as she heard the click on the other end of the line, she hung up the receiver and found the resources list Mrs. Rogers gave her the previous night. Within moments the Truancy office let her know someone would be out there in about an hour since she reported the truancy so late. She then returned upstairs, tried Daniel's door several more times, and not receiving a response, went downstairs and waited for the truancy officer.


	4. St A's Finds Out

Rocco sat outside the Becker's house for fifteen minutes. This wasn't normal for Daniel; he was always outside and ready to go when Rocco rolled up to the curb a full ten minutes before the set time. Daniel was now five minutes late, and in another five, Rocco would have to report this to the school. As he sat and watched the door, he was startled at a knock on his window. A burly police officer stood there and patiently waited as Rocco rolled down the window.

"License, please."

"Why sure, officer. What's the matter?" Rocco handed over his license.

The police officer perused it for a moment. "I need you to leave the immediate vicinity, Mr. Sabitini." Rocco looked around quickly, noticing several more police officers stationing themselves outside the Becker's home.

"No, sir, I can't do that. I'm waiting for the kid I drive around. He lives in that house right there." As he pointed to the house, he saw two teams of policemen moving in towards the front door of the house, weapons raised.

"I must insist, Mr. Sabitini. There is no child in that house. Social Services cleared him out yesterday. Now, please, leave the area." The police officer looked at him sternly.

"Wait! What are you arresting the Beckers for? Did they hurt Daniel?" Rocco was ready to jump out of the car and deal with the Beckers himself if they hurt a hair on Daniel's head.

"I'm afraid I cannot discuss this. Please leave." The police officer put his hand on his gun and nodded his head down the street. Deciding it would not be in Daniel's best or his to be arrested, Rocco drove away, immediately heading towards the school.

* * *

><p>Rocco was out of breath when he rushed into the front office and stopped in front of Mrs. McPherson's desk. Looking puzzled at his entrance without Daniel, Mrs. McPherson stood up. "Mr. Sabitini? Where's Daniel?"<p>

"He's-He-I don't know where he is! The police were raiding the Beckers when I went to go pick him up!" Rocco was still trying to catch his breath. Years of delicious Italian family cooking did nothing for his fitness level.

"What?" Mrs. McPherson stared at him incredulously. "Hold on a moment." She disappeared behind the door in the back of the office and within moments, she returned with Headmaster Thomas. "Rocco, tell him what you just told me."

Rocco started nervously tugging at his hat in his hands. "I knew something was wrong when I first drove up to the house, because Daniel is always already outside waiting for me." Rocco continued to relay the incident in front of the Beckers to the headmaster. He could see Mr. Thomas turn red with anger, but he was confident if anyone could do anything to find Daniel, it would be Mr. Thomas.

The headmaster thanked Rocco for conveying the information and his dedication to Daniel. He also asked if Rocco might be available to drive Mr. Thomas around should he need to retrieve Daniel or locate him. "Anything you need, Headmaster! My car is at your disposal all day if you need it!" Pride swelled in Rocco's chest when Mr. Thomas smiled brightly, patted Rocco on the shoulder and dismissed himself to make a phone call.

"Mr. Sabitini, please feel free to take a seat. We'll find Daniel, I'm sure of it." Mrs. McPherson had always been nothing but kind to Rocco, and he thought quite highly of her. He took the seat near her desk, and both sat in silence awaiting information from the headmaster.

* * *

><p>Allister was fuming when he took his seat behind the massive cherry desk in his office. It took him a moment to realize what he needed to do; he needed to talk to Nancy Johnson. He couldn't understand why she would have let this happen. He paged Mrs. McPherson on the intercom and requested Daniel's file. As efficiently as ever, Elaine strode into his office, file in hand. Nancy's phone number at Social Services was hand printed on a note, which she had paper clipped to the front of the file. She always knew what he needed, sometimes before he knew himself.<p>

The line rang three times before a nasally female voice answered, "Social Services, how may I direct your call?"

"Nancy Johnson please, this is an emergency." Allister tapped his fingers rhythmically while he was placed on hold.

"I'm afraid Mrs. Johnson is not in at the moment. She'll return on Wednesday." The voice annoyed Allister to no end. He heard no interest in her voice at all, only apathy.

"What do you mean, she'll return on Wednesday? One of her cases was moved this weekend and is currently missing!" He had to muster all the strength he had to not scream at her on the phone.

"Mrs. Johnson had to leave town on Thursday, so she could not have moved a child."

Allister had to take a deep breath before responding. "I didn't say she moved the child, I said the child was moved, and according to you, apparently without Mrs. Johnson's knowledge, which explains a lot. I am the child's school principal and I need to know why my pupil is not in school."

"All children are enrolled in schools in which their foster home is located. If the child was moved out of your district, then that child is now enrolled in another local school. Frequently the school system does not get advanced notice of moves. Have a good day." The woman at the other end of the line hung up the phone curtly, and within a moment all Allister heard was a dial tone.

Allister stared at the phone in his hand. He was just dismissed as if he was a casual bystander. This situation was becoming more and more incredulous by the minute. He debated calling the Social Services office back and letting his anger loose on the woman who'd just so rudely hung up on him. But When he realized that it would not produce the result he desired, one in which he received the address of Daniel's new foster placement, he decided that authority was required, and he knew the perfect person.

"Mrs. McPherson, could you please bring me the file for Allison Peyton, please?" He requested gently on the intercom. She arrived moments later with a perplexed look on her face.

"Social Services was not very helpful. Mr. Peyton is much more likely to get the answer. I hate interrupting his day for this, but sometimes we have to use the system against itself."

"Ahh, very good, sir." She smiled brightly when she remembered that Michael Peyton was the New York City Police Commissioner. Mr. Peyton and his wife, a member of the Carnegie family, were always very supportive of Saint Antholian's school and its community. She left the headmaster to make the phone call in private, and rejoined Rocco Sabitini at her desk.

The phone only rang once before a cheerful secretary picked it up and announced the police commissioner's office. Allister introduced himself and his role at the school, and he was immediately put on hold for the Police Commissioner. Seconds later, Michael Peyton picked up the phone and pleasantries were exchanged.

"Michael, I hate to have to call for your assistance on this matter, but I have a child at this school who is in the foster care system. We don't know where he is, or where he might have been moved to by Social Services, and my previous attempt to get the information from his caseworker has failed. The only clear information I could get out of Social Services was that Nancy Johnson, the caseworker, has been out of town since Thursday, and she did not move the child out of the home herself. Michael, I've got a gut feeling something is very wrong, and I'm not the only worried party here at St. A's."

"Allister, We will find the boy. I always have time to help out St. A's, and I'm glad you thought to call me. I'm sure a phone call from the Police Commissioner's office will yield a better response than what you received. What's the child's name?"

Allister was relieved once he knew Michael would put his considerable power behind finding Daniel. The knot in his stomach was twisting tighter and tighter. "Daniel Jackson, age 11."

"Why does that name sound familiar? He's in Allison's class?" Michael commented casually.

"Yes and no. Long story short, he's on a unique curriculum. Allison shares some classes with him."

"He's the transfer! Allison's talked about him at dinner. He's in foster care?"

"Again, a long story, but yes."

"To be honest, I'm surprised you have a student in foster care at all, but Ally's talked about his achievements. If you were to take any child, it would be him, right?" Michael didn't really give Allister a chance to respond. "I'll get someone right on this, and I should be able to call you back in about fifteen minutes."

"Thank you so much, Michael. I'll be eagerly awaiting your call." Allister hung up the phone with a sigh of relief, though his worry level was still increasing.

* * *

><p>The phone rang with three minutes to spare from the original fifteen-minute estimate. Allister had never wanted to answer a phone so much, but he allowed Mrs. McPherson to answer it in case it was not Michael with the address. He released a quick sigh when the intercom came to life announcing it was Commissioner Peyton. His hand dashed to the phone and it was shoved to his ear instantly. The conversation was quick; both participants seemed to radiate a sense of urgency in the matter. Allister thanked Michael for his assistance profusely before hanging up the phone.<p>

The headmaster grabbed his briefcase and coat jacket and rushed out the door to his office. He quietly handed off his items Mrs. McPherson and the slip of paper with Daniel's new address to Rocco. "I know where this is, sir. I can get you there, no problem."

"Thanks, Mr. Sabitini, that will be greatly appreciated. Mrs. McPherson, I'll be ready to leave just after I speak to Jane and leave the school in her capable hands. Excuse me." Allister disappeared down the hallway but returned moments later. Rocco departed to start up the Rolls Royce, and by the time Allister returned, Elaine McPherson was dressed and ready to depart, with Daniel's file in Allister's briefcase. The two strode out the front door of the school and within a total of ten minutes from the moment Allister received the address, they were already on their way.


	5. Awkward Introductions

The truancy officer arrived earlier than the expected time, arriving at twenty past nine in the morning. A tearful Lisa Urquhart immediately greeted him at the door.

"Thank you for coming. I just don't know what to do! He's locked himself in his room. Can you pick locks?" Her voice was shrilly in anxiety, but the officer calmly followed Lisa up the stairs to the locked door.

"This happens all the time, ma'am. First time foster parent?"

"Yes, how did you know?" Lisa wiped a tear from her cheek.

"The first time families are always the most frantic when children pull these kinds of stunts. By the third time, you'll be a pro." The officer tugged at the door, and finding it well locked, he pulled a lock picking set out of his pocket and began on the job at hand.

The doorbell rang downstairs, which shocked Lisa. "Are you expecting a partner?"

The officer shook his head. "Maybe it's the caseworker?"

Lisa contemplated that for a moment. "Maybe. I'll be right back." She composed herself as she walked down the stairs, forcing non-existent wrinkles out of her dress. She opened the door to three people, one of which she assumed was Nancy Johnson. Who the two gentlemen were, she had no idea. "Hello, are you Nancy Johnson?"

The stately salt-and-peppered hair gentlemen spoke up and offered his hand. "No ma'am, my name is Allister Thomas, this is Elaine McPherson, and behind me is Rocco Sabitini. I'm headmaster at St. Antholian's Catholic School. I believe a Daniel Jackson is currently living here?"

"St. Antholian's? Oh, St. A's! Please, come in!" She shuffled out of the way and welcomed the three strangers into her living room. "Daniel mentioned your school this morning, and he thought he was returning there today instead of at the new school where Social Services enrolled him. He got really upset and locked himself in his room. The truancy officer is trying to unlock the door as we speak."

"What?" Allister shouted. "Please show us to him!" Lisa nodded, and led the way up the stairs. The hallway was not large, and now five people crowded around Daniel's door. Allister moved forward.

"Officer, let me try. He knows me." The officer accepted and moved back from the door. "Daniel? Its Headmaster Thomas! Open up the door, Daniel!" He knocked gently considering his worry for the boy. "Daniel!" He banged on the door louder, but seemingly without anger.

When the adults received no response, Allister moved back and allowed the officer to try to pick the lock again. He moved back to Lisa. "I really must apologize, I never got your name, ma'am."

Lisa was taken back, realizing she never introduced herself. "Lisa. Lisa Urquhart." They stood in silence for a moment. "Why are you here?"

Allister, while watching the door, casually replied. "Daniel didn't show up to school this morning. When we went to his previous home, we were informed he was moved this weekend."

Lisa looked confused. "He was enrolled in a new school when he moved. He shouldn't have shown up at your school this morning."

Allister's eyes widened and stared at her. "Who told you that?" he asked incredulously. Elaine refocused her attention at the conversation occurring while Rocco remained steadfastly watching the door.

"What's taking you so long?" Rocco bellowed at the officer.

The officer huffed, pulled out the pins, and reinserted. "Picking locks was never my specialty."

Bringing the conversation back to life, Allister asked again, "Who told you he was enrolled in a new school?"

"Mrs. Rogers, the lady that brought Daniel to us. She clearly stated that she enrolled him at MacArthur Middle School, grade six. She even gave me the bus schedule. Why?"

"Mrs. Urquhart, Daniel's very much still a student at St. Antholian's. His grandfather arranged his placement at the school, determined to give his grandson the best education available in New York. Daniel's case worker and I both promised him we'd never send him back to the public school system. He must be devastated if he thought we broke our promise to him."

Upon hearing this news, Lisa fell back against the wall behind her and slid down it. "Why didn't she tell me this? Daniel and I got into an argument about him going to MacArthur Middle, and Mrs. Rogers told me that he might try anything to get out of going to school, including acting out, so when he said he didn't go there, it's immediately what I thought." She was distraught at the revelation.

* * *

><p>Seconds later, before Allister had the chance to console Mrs. Urquhart, who looked like she needed it, the door opened, and he rushed in. The room was empty by first look, but Daniel's book bag sat next to the closet door. "Daniel?" Allister approached the closet door slowly, nodding to Elaine to keep everyone else out of the way. He could hear a faint murmuring in the closet, and knocked on it. The murmuring did not change. He opened the bi-fold door and looked down. Daniel was curled up in on himself, his head buried in his arms, which wrapped around his knees. Allister knelt down to Daniel's eye level and called him again. Daniel did not respond, but continued murmuring something, but what that something was Allister couldn't translate. "Daniel?"<p>

Daniel wearily pulled up his head and turned it towards Allister, but his eyes were glazed over and he looked exhausted with a fine sheen of sweat along his brow. Tear streaks lined his cheeks. "Headmaster?" The voice was weak and unbelieving.

Allister placed his hand on Daniel's forehead, checking for a fever. Finding none, he swept back Daniel's blond bangs. "Hi."

Daniel fell into Allister's chest, quietly repeating, "You promised. You promised." Within a minute though, Daniel's breathing slowed down and deepened, the whispering words vanished into silence. Allister could feel Daniel's racing heartbeat as it rushed through the small body in his arms.

"Elaine?" Allister called to the six-time mother. She approached cautiously and knelt down next to Allister. "Do we need to take him to the hospital? He doesn't look well."

Elaine felt Daniel's head, moved down to his neck where she felt his pulse, and then caressed his damp hair. Daniel's eyes remained closed, but he did seem to welcome the ministrations, moving slightly into the hand. "He's fine, Headmaster. He worked himself up good though with anxiety. My fourth son, Davey, had anxiety attacks like this. All Daniel needs is a chance to calm down and alleviate the anxiety, or as he seems to have done, pass out from exhaustion. Nurse Kellman will know what to do for him, and he can rest in the school infirmary."

Allister nodded his acceptance of Elaine's proposal, and motioned to Rocco, who had been perched at the door. Rocco, with his raw strength and girth, easily picked up Daniel and led the way to the car. Allister stopped at the doorway and approached the tearful Mrs. Urquhart. "Mrs. Urquhart, Daniel's okay, but we'd like our school nurse to take a look at him. Mrs. McPherson thinks it is just an anxiety attack. I'd like you to come with us, and we can discuss the situation at hand, especially now knowing that Mrs. Johnson, Daniel's regular caseworker, was not here to explain anything." His voice, which before was annoyed and harsh, now was soft and kind.

Lisa looked utterly shocked at the invitation, but quickly consented. Allister waited for Lisa while she haphazardly gathered up her purse, a book, a sweater and her coat. Seeing her anxiety, the headmaster hoped that this would be a good family for Daniel. He could tell she seemed to genuinely care for the boy and her performance as a foster parent. He smiled at her when she pronounced herself ready. "Mr. Sabitini is waiting in the car for us." He led her out to the car and placed her in the front seat. She thanked Allister as he closed the door behind her. He then noticed the truancy officer, still standing near his squad car.

Allister wasn't exactly sure to say to the officer. He knew the officer witnessed the entire transaction between him and Mrs. Urquhart, so he wasn't sure why the officer hesitated. He met the officer halfway between his own car and the police squad car. "Thank you for getting the door open. Do you have all the information you need to close out the incident report?"

It took the officer a moment to respond, but he replied he did. Allister gave a warm smile and pulled out a business card. "If you need any more information, please don't hesitate to contact Mrs. McPherson. She'll make sure you get whatever you need." Allister gave a quick nod as he moved back to his own car, but he watched intently as the truancy officer climbed back into the squad car. Once satisfied, he took his own seat in the back, where Elaine was already sitting with a slumbering Daniel mushed up against her.

* * *

><p>The ride seemed uncomfortably silent for all riders; Elaine was stroking Daniel's hair, Lisa turned repeatedly to see if Daniel was alright while Rocco used the rear-view mirror to do the same, and Allister was strumming with anger over what occurred. Rocco broke the silence in the front cabin quietly. "Hullo, ma'am, I'm Rocco. I drive young Mr. Jackson to and from school everyday. He's a good boy, you know. Smart, he is." Rocco smiled at Lisa.<p>

Lisa modestly smiled back. "Lisa Urquhart. Very nice to meet you, Mr. Rocco." She felt uncomfortable speaking about Daniel, given that anything she might have thought she knew about him was completely wrong. She was comforted by Rocco's remarks. "How long have you known Daniel?"

"Six months, give or take. Start of the new school year. But his grandfather, now, I've known Dr. Ballard for twenty years, give or take a few. He asked me personally to take care of Daniel's transportation, not one of my employees." Lisa could hear the swell of pride in Rocco's voice.

Elaine heard the conversation, her head popping up. "I didn't know you had employees, Mr. Sabitini!"

"Oh, yes ma'am! I've got ten drivers, other than me, that is. Only one Rolls Royce, though! The rest of my fleet are Ford Crown Victorias. Nice cars, but not nearly as nice as my baby here. Dr. Ballard gave me the start-up money to buy a second car and hire a new driver back about ten years ago. Business has been good to me since!" Rocco was positively beaming with pride. "When Dr. Ballard asked me to drive his grandson around, I jumped at the chance to repay him in some small way."

Just then, St. Antholian's came into view. Allister sat up straighter and quickly looked at his watch. "Rocco, drive us around back. We've got a back entrance leading straight into a stairwell."

Elaine looked at her watch. "Class is in session, so we should be clear of attentive eyes, as well." She tried to wake Daniel by gently shaking him, but other than a groan and some slight sluggish movement, Daniel remained soundly asleep. She reached down his neck and felt his pulse, which thankfully had come down significantly during the ride.

Allister jumped out of the car when it came to a complete stop and motioned for Rocco to carry Daniel. He then opened the door for Lisa and offered his hand to help her out of the vehicle. Together they cleared the area around the passenger side of the car and allowed Rocco to easily reach in and gather Daniel into his arms. Allister also assisted Elaine out of the car since she was then free of her burden. Allister whispered something into Elaine's ear, and she nodded in return. He then led the way to the back door and held it open while Rocco and the women strode into the school. At the top of the first flight of stairs, Elaine stopped and held another door open. "Mrs. Urquhart, please come with me."

Lisa quickly agreed and the two headed to the main office as Allister and Rocco continued up another flight of stairs. Allister held the door open to the second floor to allow Rocco through and jogged to catch up after shutting the door. The infirmary was at the far end of the hallway, next to the grand staircase. Allister could see Rocco shuffling Daniel around a little bit, trying to maintain the load. Thankfully, they arrived before Rocco's arms gave out completely.


	6. The Headmaster Takes on Social Services

Nurse Kellman was surprised to see one of her students being carried in by a stranger. She stood up from behind her desk. "What in heavens?" The headmaster then followed inside the small office. "Headmaster, what's going on?" She rushed around her desk and to the boy in the stranger's arms. She felt his forehead and then for a pulse, and finding both normal, she pointed to a door on the left, which revealed three beds. "Put him on the farthest one."

She peered at the headmaster, visually demanding an explanation. "Elaine thinks Daniel had an anxiety attack this morning at his foster home, Helene. He didn't seem to be fully aware of his surroundings and then he fainted or fell asleep. I don't know which one. He hasn't been very responsive since, even just a few minutes ago when we got him out of the car."

The stranger stepped back into the main room, which allowed Nurse Kellman the opportunity to step in and take a good look at the boy. Headmaster Thomas followed her in, and the stranger filled up the last of the area in the small room.

"Anxiety attack, she thinks?" She took the boy's pulse properly, and satisfied, she turned the boy onto his side. "There's a bucket in the other room, can someone fetch it?" She put Daniel into a proper recovery position on the bed, so that if he became sick, he wouldn't suffocate. If only she could ensure her ill-feeling students would aim for the bucket, her life would be so much easier. She was pleased to see Daniel slightly moving into the touches she gave, which indicated he wasn't unconscious or worse. The stranger returned and passed the white metal bucket to the headmaster, who in turn handed it to her. She carefully placed it where Daniel might use it, and then laid a warm, blue blanket over the sleeping boy. Nurse Kellman then shooed the two gentlemen out of the room and closed the door behind her as she exited as well.

She gave a glaring look at the two men, demanding the explanation the headmaster didn't give her the first time. The headmaster picked up the hint, first by introducing Rocco, and briefly explaining that Daniel had been told some incorrect information and naturally got very upset at it, resulting in an anxiety attack. Satisfied that it was nothing more than the what he described, no unaccounted for violence or tragedy, she bid the headmaster and Mr. Sabitini farewell and promised Daniel would be in good hands.

* * *

><p>Rocco offered his services for the rest of the day to Headmaster Thomas, should he or Daniel need a ride anywhere. Allister thanked him graciously, indicating he might need to make one more run before the end of the day and offered him a seat in the front office.<p>

He quickly moved past Elaine's empty desk and proceeded into his own office, where he greeted both Elaine and Mrs. Urquhart who were sitting in large leather chairs in front of his cherry desk. He slid into his own chair behind the desk and gave each a pitiful smile.

"Thank you for coming with us, Mrs. Urquhart. It demonstrates to me that you are taking your role as a foster parent very seriously, which sadly isn't always the case. Before I get into any real explanation concerning Daniel's very unique situation, would you like to call your husband in for a conference? That way I can answer any questions the two of you might have at the same time?"

Lisa instantly agreed. "My husband doesn't normally get off work until three, but given the circumstances, his employer may give him a chance to get off early. Is there a phone I can borrow?"

Allister offered the use of his own phone, indicating he and Elaine needed to step out of the room to discuss a matter anyway. "Please, this office is yours to use for now. I believe I may have to step out of the school again to talk to Social Services concerning the incident, but Elaine here will no doubt take care of anything you might need."

Lisa thanked Allister and Elaine for all they have done thus far and moved the leather chair closer to the desk and reached for the phone. Allister and Elaine stepped out of the office to Elaine's desk. "Get me the address for Social Services, please. I feel a personal one on one chat with that wretched woman is warranted. Would you believe she told Mr. and Mrs. Urquhart that they should expect lying, temper tantrums, and manipulation from Daniel and that he may be mentally unstable? Who in the world would tell new parents this? Something has to be done to guarantee this doesn't happen again. Daniel was-" Allister was so frustrated he couldn't get the words out.

Elaine filled in for him, "Daniel was devastated, no doubt. Poor boy." She shook her head in sympathy for Daniel. Within moments she had the address for the central headquarters for Social Services-Foster Care and Adoption center for the Manhattan Borough.

Before parting with Rocco, Allister stopped into his office once more to check on Mrs. Urquhart. "Is your husband able to come?"

Lisa, who seemed to be in tears once more, nodded. "He can be here at one p.m."

Allister looked up at the clock, which was now half past ten in the morning. Given the time it would take to make it downtown, conduct his business, and return, he approximated that one might be the earliest he could take the meeting with the Urquharts. "One should be just fine. In the meantime, I'm sure Elaine will give you a tour of the facility and answer any questions about the school you might have." He bid his farewell and left Lisa in his office. He quickly relayed his wishes to Elaine and departed the school with Rocco as his driver.

* * *

><p>Allister strode into the Social Services office rather forcefully. He spied the receptionist, who had so rudely hung up on him, behind her desk, gabbing away on the phone to what sounded like a personal call. He stepped up and cleared his throat to capture her attention. She looked up at him in disdain, and covered the receptor on the phone. "Can I help you?"<p>

"Your supervisor, please. It's an urgent matter and I must speak with him immediately." He glared at her annoyingly, and witnessed her end her phone call and page Bill Newman. Rather than take a seat among the three scattered chairs near the door, Allister decided to instead continue hovering over the receptionist's desk, trying to give the implication that he was not going to go away until he was good and satisfied.

After two minutes, the receptionist called Mr. Newman's direct line. "Sir, you've got someone demanding to speak to a supervisor-" she paused to listen for a moment. "No sir, he indicated it was an urgent matter. No sir, I don't think he will come back later-" She paused once more before hanging up.

"Mr. Newman will be out momentarily. If you just take a seat, he won't be that long."

"I'm fine where I am, thank you." Out of anger, he hovered closer to the desk in an attempt to intimidate the receptionist. If Mr. Newman took longer than a moment or two, the woman might feel it necessary to persuade the supervisor to move faster in order to free her from his presence.

Thankfully, a gentleman walked out of the glass office in the far corner of the open space and approached the receptionist's desk. The receptionist tilted her head towards Allister, not that he wouldn't be immediately visible to the gentleman. "I'm Bill Newman, can I help you, sir?"

Allister gave him a good look before introducing himself. Bill Newman looked hastily dressed, with aged shirts with underarm stains and and a wrinkled tie. Contrarily, Allister Thomas was polished and academic, dressed in bold, deep tones, an impeccable crispness to his attire. "I must speak with you concerning a relocation that happened over the weekend."

Immediately Bill Newman knew of the case, having ordered it himself on Friday. "I am not aware of any problems we had with relocations over the weekend. What's the matter?"

"I do not believe this is the best place to hold such a discussion, unless you would like everyone to hear of the gross incompetence that one of your caseworkers showed this weekend," Allister growled loudly, perhaps too loudly for the area.

Bill Newman blanched and meekly led the way to his office. Allister straightened up and followed the man through the open area, keeping an eye out for someone who might look like a Mrs. Rogers. Allister took the seat offered to him by Mr. Newman in his office, while the supervisor seemed to nervously shuffle papers about to clear an area off his desk before taking a seat himself.

"Sir, I don't know who you are or what you are talking about. Can you please explain to me what is going on, especially as it involves an accusation of incompetence by a member of my staff?"

"You're familiar with the case files of children who were relocated this weekend?"

"Not in the least. I supervise over ten thousand cases; you can't expect me to know details about every one. That is what caseworkers are for. I do know only one child was relocated this weekend, a-" he looked to think hard for a moment, "young boy, I believe. Special needs. Normal caseworker out of town on personal business." He shuffled through his desk for several moments before finding the file in question, which bore a large square orange sticker along the edge of the outer jacket.

Newman glanced at the file jacket and the labels on the side of the file, "What is the name of the child in question?" Allister gave Daniel's name. "Well, it was a standard move, and the caseworker who completed it confirmed there were no problems during the transfer of custody. You still haven't explained how you are involved in the situation, or even your name."

"Allister Thomas, but I'll get to that in just a moment, Mr. Newman. There were problems, Mr. Newman, and not all of them were present at the time of the relocation. Can someone tell me why Mr. Jackson was enrolled in MacArthur Middle School this morning?"

"Sir, its standard policy that children change schools with relocations, otherwise we would not be able to safely provide transportation for the children. I'm afraid I can't go any more into specifics about a case with unauthorized people."

"Well, is it standard policy not to read the child's file?"

"Excuse me?"

"You'll find in that file, Mr. Newman, that Mr. Jackson has had special arrangements made by Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Jackson's grandfather to attend St. Antholian's School, of which I am headmaster. I am directly responsible for the intellectual growth of the boy in question, and you'll find I'm more than authorized to hold this discussion. Instead, your worker relocated a student under my direction and failed to inform the school of the move. Then she failed to inform the new foster parents of Daniel's situation, telling them instead that he's a troubled boy with behavioral and discipline issues. She didn't even enroll him in the right grade! So, tell me this, Mr. Newman, is this standard policy behavior of one of your caseworkers? If it is, I will personally see to it that an investigation begins at the highest levels of your organization to the mismanagement of the care of these children!"

Stunned at the information given to him, Newman was silent for several moments, seemingly to digest the situation at hand while confirming the information given to the file he held and then picked up the phone and requested Mrs. Roger's presence in his office immediately.

Nanine Rogers sashayed into the office with a careless attitude. Allister kept himself silent as much as he could, for he was so angry at her he couldn't trust his own tongue at this point. He resolutely sat next to Mrs. Rogers as her supervisor recounted the situation and scolded her for her actions in the case.

Nanine tried to defend her actions and her words to the Urquharts. "How was I supposed to know that the child wasn't in public school? Or that his status as "special needs" wasn't because of previous behavioral issues?"

Allister rolled his eyes and struggled to keep the anger contained. Newman, having already been scolded himself by Allister, rephrased his objection. "If you read his file before removing the boy, you would have known all that!"

She countered back. "It was a simple relocation! I do hundreds of them a year for other case workers and I've never had to read through the complete file!"

Bill seemed to be brewing with anger as well and gave a deliberate sigh. "Well, this obviously wasn't a simple relocation, and we will discuss later your requirement to read files before directly dealing with the children."

Allister Thomas finally stepped in. "You should know, Mrs. Rogers, that your actions this weekend severely injured Daniel's emotional well-being this morning. You informed the Urquharts of his so-called behavioral problems and neglected to inform them of his special circumstances. They were led to believe, through your tone and words, that when he informed Mrs. Urquhart this morning he attended St. Antholian's, she thought that he was lying and manipulating his way out of going to school, and forced to take harsh actions, including calling a truancy officer. For your information, I do not blame the Urquharts for their actions in this situation. They reacted as they should have with the information that they were given. It is not their fault that the information you gave them was gravely mistaken and ill-worded. How dare you tell new parents to expect the worst out of a new child! You are only setting them up to actively notice normal childhood behaviors as abnormal tendencies. Mrs. Urquhart thought that a normal morning to school set Daniel off and she worried what else he might do. Daniel thought everything he had been promised by Mrs. Johnson and myself was being taken away. We found him nearly catatonic from fear and panic when he thought he was being forced back to public school after he just realized that St. Antholian's was where he belonged. As it is, he's now missed a full day of school because of your incompetence, and in an environment like St. Antholian's, even one missed day requires much work on the part of the child. I hold you directly to blame for this situation, Mrs. Rogers."

Rogers stood there aghast, unable to respond to Mr. Thomas's indictments. Allister instead just turned to Newman. "While I trust Mrs. Johnson implicitly, I have serious doubts about your remaining staff here. I have not yet decided whether to take action higher up in the chain of command, but I am reserving my right to do so. This level of incompetence is on the verge of being criminal. Secondly, I want it stated in no unclear terms on the jacket of that file that Mrs. Rogers will never have any interaction with Daniel or his foster families again. When Mr. Jackson is moved again, Mrs. Johnson and I will approach the families directly concerning Daniel's education. I will also be informed on any decisions this office might have concerning Daniel's case immediately, especially if Mrs. Johnson is not available. It is a tragedy that Mrs. Johnson suffered a family emergency and was forced to take time off of work and away from her charges. It's a greater tragedy that when she returns she'll find her children were not properly cared for by her colleagues." With that, Thomas stood up and began to leave the room. Before fully walking out, he turned one more time to the two social workers. "I expect that lessons will be learned from this situation, and any disciplinary actions and changes in regulations will be suitably handled, Mr. Newman. While you are cleaning house, I suggest you talk to your receptionist about her attitude. Such disgraceful contempt as she showed me, both on the phone and in person, would never be tolerated at my school." Allister Thomas did not wait for a response before solidly closing the door behind him and exiting the office.


	7. Checking up on Daniel

Mr. Baird was the third teacher to bombard Elaine concerning Daniel's absence and the short trip out of the school both she and the headmaster had taken earlier that morning. Teachers were sent a list of students who called in sick early in the morning, and since no one thought to inform the school of Daniel's situation, his name was left off the list. So when he failed to show up for class, each of his teachers thought it odd their new star pupil would skip class. Compound that with the conspicuous absence of both the headmaster and Elaine, several staff members began wondering just what was going on.

"No, Mr. Baird, Daniel is not absent from school today." Elaine calmly noted as the intimidating English teacher hovered over her desk. "He is not feeling well and is currently in the care of Nurse Kellman."

"And did that have anything to do with you and Allister leaving earlier today?" Mr. Baird raised his eyebrow at Elaine.

"And if it did?" Elaine looked innocently back at Mr. Baird.

Mr. Baird smirked. "Will he be in class tomorrow?"

"I really don't know, Mr. Baird. As I'm sure you'll find out from the headmaster later, Mr. Jackson had a small issue with foster care placement over the weekend, which is currently being attended to. However, only the headmaster can give us a better picture."

The conversation was interrupted by the entrance of Headmaster Thomas, who to Elaine's happiness, did not wear the face of an angry man as he had when he left the school an hour earlier.

"Everything go well, Headmaster?"

The Headmaster smiled briefly. "This situation shouldn't happen again."

He stepped up next to Mr. Baird, greeting him by his first name, "James." The two men shook hands in greeting.

"Pardon me, but I'm heading upstairs for a few moments. I assume Mrs. Urquhart is doing well?" Allister nodded towards his office door as he questioned Elaine.

"She's just waiting on her husband, who should be here within the hour. I was just about to check up on her when Mr. Baird approached with questions concerning Mr. Jackson."

The Headmaster smiled and turned again to the English teacher. "Nothing gets by you, does it, James?"

Both men chuckled. "That's why you only hired the best, Allister, if I do say so myself. I do hope you'll fill me in later on the situation? Daniel's absence from class was quite conspicuous."

Allister nodded. "I'll be filling in necessary faculty after we have a successful resolution to the problem, which should be before the end of the school day."

With that, Headmaster Thomas patted Mr. Baird on the back, and exited the main office, heading towards the grand staircase.

* * *

><p>Nurse Kellman was not surprised in the least when the headmaster walked into her office and asked how Daniel was doing. Allister Thomas always took a personal interest in all of his students, a trait that Nurse Kellman personally adored in the headmaster.<p>

"He's just fine, Headmaster. Elaine was right; based on what you told me, it looks like he had an anxiety attack, which can be very draining on someone. He's still sleeping, but I think he'll be up soon. I expect you'll want me to keep him here the rest of the day?"

The Headmaster looked like he was about to respond when Nurse Kellman heard a familiar rustling noise from the other room. It sounded like Daniel was up and moving. The two adults moved to the doorway and spied Daniel Jackson sitting up and rubbing his eyes with his fists.

Helene Kellman moved forward and took a seat on the edge of Daniel's bed. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the headmaster back out of the doorway and give the two of them a bit of privacy.

"Hello, Daniel. How are you feeling?"

Daniel seemed distracted and confused, looking around for something. "I'm at St. Antholian's?"

"Yes, you are. Open up." She pulled out a glass thermometer from her breast pocket of her nurse's uniform and handed it over to Daniel, motioning him to place it under his tongue.

He stared at it for a moment. "I had a fever?"

"No, but I want a reading anyway. Go on." She waited patiently as he inserted the instrument in his mouth before taking his wrist and taking a pulse.

"How did I-" Daniel started to ask, but Helene stopped him, holding up a finger.

"No talking while taking a temperature." Daniel sighed but waited in silence. Exactly four minutes after he put the thermometer in his mouth, Helene plucked it out, shaking it and giving it a good read. "Perfect 98.6." She wrapped the instrument in a napkin and put it back in her pocket, reminding herself to sterilize it before next use. "Well, you seem to be just fine by me." She smiled at him after standing up.

"How did I get here?" Daniel asked, still looking around. "Have you seen my glasses?"

"Your glasses are on the table to your right. As to the first question, Headmaster Thomas is better suited to answer that. You up to visitors?"

Daniel shifted around to reach his glasses, and placing them on his face, he nodded quietly. She took it as the sign to let the waiting headmaster in.

* * *

><p>Daniel's nerves stood on end when he saw Headmaster Thomas walk into the small room. He didn't remember much of this morning, but he was fairly certain the headmaster had been at his foster home. He thought for a moment longer. Hadn't he moved last night? Why was he here if they removed him from the school and enrolled him back in the public school system? Had he said or done something wrong, or was he just imagining the past twenty-four hours?<p>

"Mr. Jackson, feeling any better?" The headmaster smiled at him, which meant the headmaster wasn't angry with him. He nodded cautiously. "That's good to hear, Daniel. Mind if I take a seat and we talk for a moment?"

Daniel's heart began racing, unsure of what the headmaster was going to say. Maybe he was going to tell Daniel he was no longer a student here, or that he was in serious trouble for something. "Sure." He gave a fleeting hopeful grin, but tucked his knees under his chin as he prepared to hear the worst news possible.

Headmaster Thomas settled himself on the bed across from Daniel. "I wanted to discuss what happened this weekend and this morning. Are you okay with that?" The headmaster's voice was calm and collected.

Daniel nodded. "I'm not sure what exactly did happen, sir. I don't know how I ended up here."

Headmaster Thomas remained silent for a moment. "Well, tell me what you do remember."

Daniel closed his eyes and ran through his memory. "I was moved to a new family yesterday, the, uh, Urquharts, I think. This new caseworker moved me, not Mrs. Johnson. She told me the school knew about the move, that it was still expecting me Monday morning. But when I went downstairs this morning, Mrs. Urquhart told me I was enrolled at some middle school and the bus was arriving any moment. Rocco wasn't sitting outside like he always does. I think I argued with her before she told me to go to my room and wait for the bus. I don't remember much after that."

Daniel could feel his heart racing again, his mind still confused, when he also felt the bed sag deeper. It was then he noticed the headmaster sitting next to him. Mr. Thomas pulled Daniel up and placed an arm around his shoulders.

"You've got most of it correct. Mrs. Rogers, the caseworker who moved you, didn't read through your file and thought you were an average special needs eleven-year-old. She did you a great disservice by looking at your file without reading it and making assumptions. She incorrectly enrolled you in public school, though to alleviate your fears, that enrollment did not change your status here, Daniel. You are still very much a student at Saint Antholian's. She also made assumptions about you because you're listed as a special needs child, whom she believes are disobedient, deceitful, manipulative and prone to lying, and possibly physically abusive. What she failed to mention is that you're listed as special needs because you didn't speak English when you entered into Social Services, not to mention how special your educational circumstances are. According to Mrs. Urquhart, she had only Mrs. Rogers' word about you, which would scare any foster parent, and that information led her to believe you were willfully disobeying and lying to her about your school situation. She said she sent you to your room to calm down for a few minutes, and when she went upstairs to get you for the bus, she found your door locked."

Daniel gave a guilty grimace. "I always lock the door behind me. Its safer when you're having an argument with someone from the foster family."

He noticed a shocked expression on the Headmaster's face before it quickly disappeared. The Headmaster's arm squeezed a little tighter around his shoulders, which was comforting. "That issue aside, by the time Mrs. Urquhart was able to get the door unlocked, Rocco had already reported to the school you were not at the Beckers and we tracked you down there. We found you in the throes of an all out anxiety attack in the closet. As you came down from the attack, you passed out from exhaustion. We thought it best that Nurse Kellman look you over and make sure you didn't require any further medical treatment, and so you ended up here."

"I'm sorry, headmaster." Guilt rushed over Daniel when he realized the hassle he created this morning. He was embarrassed over the amount of attention that was paid to the situation, especially by the Headmaster since he had to interrupt his very busy day for this. He didn't want to be a burden to the school like he was to the foster families.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry, headmaster."<p>

When Daniel said this, Allister was completely taken aback. If anyone was to be sorry, it certainly wasn't Daniel. But the child next to him radiated guilt, and Allister had to wonder what was going through Daniel's mind.

"Daniel, you have done nothing for which you need to apologize! I want you to pay careful attention to me. Look at me." He pulled the boy's chin up so he could see his blue eyes. "This is not your fault, Daniel. I want you to wipe this guilty look off your face because it certainly does not belong there. Do you understand?" Daniel's silence was eerie but he nodded. Tears began to swell. He could tell Daniel didn't believe him, but there was little he could do about that for now.

Remembering how Daniel's fears of leaving St. Antholian's had initiated the anxiety attack, Headmaster Thomas thought it important to reiterate Daniel's place at the school. "I made a promise to your grandfather to educate you, and I always keep my promises, especially when so much is at stake. It would take extreme circumstances for me to ever disenroll you or expel you from St. Antholian's, and don't for a moment think that what happened today even comes close." He felt the tension in the boy release, and he knew he was on the right track. "You know, It's my responsibility to worry about the welfare of every one of my students. That includes not only their time here, but twenty-four hours a day. If I know something is amiss in the home life of any student, I'm duty bound to intervene where possible. I make it a priority to know that students at St. Antholian's are safe once they leave school grounds and I do whatever I can, whether it is holding parent-teacher conferences, arranging for assistance, or just being available to listen when someone is having a problem. You can always come to me, or to Mrs. McPherson or any of the teachers, if you are having problems at home." He felt Daniel nod and sit up straighter.

"When your grandfather called me and asked me to admit you to St. Antholian's, I knew that you would need extra attention and support from the school. I knew what I was signing on for when I worked everything out with Mrs. Johnson and finalized the paperwork. Today was a bit of a hiccup, and people who don't know about our special arrangement messed things up for us, but I knew that mistakes were going to occur. No system is perfect, and certainly not Social Services, so I learned today. But we got through it, and I'm instituting a new procedure when and if you are moved again. I'm going to insist that all new foster parents meet with me either before you move or immediately after the move so that something like this doesn't happen again. I also had a little chat with the supervisor at Social Services today to correct the egregious error Mrs. Rogers committed. I suspect that the office will remember the name Daniel Jackson for a while."

Daniel chuckled and scrubbed his face, and Allister could tell that Daniel felt much better about what happened. Allister patted Daniel on the back before moving back over to the other bed. He had one last discussion that he needed to hold with Daniel. "There is one more thing I need to discuss with you, Daniel, and I want you to carefully think about this for a moment. After what happened today, do you think you still want to go back with the Urquharts, or do you want me to press to find you a new home?"

Daniel's face showed guilt once again. "I really don't know, sir. I feel awful about how I acted this morning, how much I must have scared her. I'm not sure Mrs. Urquhart can forgive me."

Allister did all he could to hide his anger at whatever made Daniel believe that about foster parents, but he felt assured that the woman sitting down in his office was not the unforgiving type. She seemed truly concerned about Daniel during and after the situation. "Assuming they wanted you to stay, would you give them a second chance?"

"They don't need a second chance, I'm the one who caused all the trouble."

"Daniel, what did I just tell you earlier?" His voice was stern, but not angry.

Daniel dropped his head to his chest, seemingly embarrassed. "This is not my fault."

"Correct. And from the conversations I have had with Mrs. Urquhart, I don't believe she thinks this is your fault, either. So, back to my first question: do you want to give the Urquharts another try?"

Daniel nodded resolutely, taking in a deep breath as if he was mentally strengthening himself. "Good. Meet me downstairs in my office after you have a chance to make yourself presentable. I have the Urquharts in my office already, and when you come down, all of us will discuss the situation and see if we can come to an acceptable resolution. Alright?"

Again, Daniel only nodded, but he started combing his fingers through his hair. Satisfied with the outcome of the conversation, Allister exited the infirmary after quickly informing Nurse Kellman that Daniel was expected in the Headmaster's office in twenty minutes.


	8. Proper Introductions

Allister gave Elaine McPherson a small smirk, which after years with working with him, she would know he meant everything was going to be okay. She sat along the far wall in his office, notebook in hand. She had also taken the liberty of inviting the school counselor, Anne Hawthorne, to the conference, which was a good idea. Allister mentally noted that Mr. Urquhart had arrived, and he and his wife were sitting in front of the Headmaster's desk holding hands.

"Mrs. Urquhart, I'm pleased to see you again. Which would make you Mr. Urquhart?" He reached out to take Mr. Urquhart's hand. He motioned for everyone to take a seat and settled himself into his leather chair. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me this afternoon. I wanted to start out tonight by properly introducing you to the boy you've agreed to take in as a foster child." Elaine stepped forward and handed two specially created files, which Allister requested be put together earlier in the day, to the Urquharts. Each contained a quick biographical sketch, his current school schedule and recent teacher reviews, his report cards, and his athletic schedule.

The Urquharts did not have a chance to open the files before Allister called for their attention. "But before I do, I need an honest response to this question. Given now what you know about what happened this morning, do the two of you feel you want to try again with Daniel?"

Allister was certain he already knew the answer, as Elaine reported that Mrs. Urquhart had spent the afternoon on the phone crying to her husband regretting how she had treated Daniel in the morning. "Would he want to return with us?" Mrs. Urquhart questioned, again teary-eyed.

"I've already posed that question to Daniel, and he doesn't think of what happened today as your fault at all. In fact, he blames himself. He is indeed interested in trying to make this work."

"His fault? How is this his fault? He's a child!" Mrs. Urquhart squeaked out.

"Mrs. Urquhart, I don't blame you in the least for this. As I told Daniel, I squarely place the blame for this situation on the ineptitude and incompetence of Social Services in general and the action and words of Mrs. Rogers specifically." Allister's voice was as conciliatory and gentle as it could be, hopefully encouraging the two new parents to start over.

Mrs. Urquhart held a handkerchief in her hand, blotting tears as they came. When silence took over the room once more, Mrs. Urquhart gave her response. "I would like to begin again with Daniel. I don't think I want to remember the boy only by this memory." Mr. Urquhart brought over his other hand to cup his wife's supportingly and gave her a nod of agreement.

With a smile, Mr. Thomas opened up his file. "So, onto the introduction…"

* * *

><p>Daniel stood outside the main door to the Headmaster's office. Through the door he could hear the headmaster explain about the school. "Most of the normal needs Daniel would require have been met here at the school. We provide Daniel with all necessary school and athletic uniforms, all necessary books and supplies, and miscellaneous expenses such as school trip fees and anything the student's parents would normally cover."<p>

Daniel hesitated. He knew that what the headmaster just said was a deal maker for most foster parents, which also meant they were thinking of keeping him, for now. The Beckers had made very clear that they were unwilling to spend any money they didn't have to on him. He moved closer to the door to hear the inevitable "oh good" or "money is so tight in the household, this will help us greatly."

But it didn't come. "How can we help?" Daniel couldn't believe his ears. "We get a stipend from the state for Daniel's care, so what else does he need? What can we provide him?" Daniel's head was spinning from Mrs. Urquhart's questions, so he backed up against the wall, leaned his weight against it, and closed his eyes. Never in a million years would he have imagined that response. His mind swirled for a moment, but a small grin broke out on his face. He felt relief and safety wash over him. He also felt hope warm him up from deep inside.

He stood there silent for a moment relishing the emotions until the door to the Headmaster's office opened up. "There you are! I was just coming to see what was keeping you!" Daniel's eyes flew open to see Mrs. McPherson staring intently at him.

"I was, uh, I didn't want to interrupt." He blurted his response out of surprise. He waited for a moment, peering at Mrs. McPherson to see if she would accept his excuse, and when she gently nudged him in the door, he sighed, assuming she didn't realize he was eavesdropping.

Daniel was pushed towards an awkwardly placed chair next to the Headmaster's desk. It was facing the Urquharts, not the headmaster, which unnerved Daniel, as he knew both the Urquharts were trying not to stare, but unable not to.

His embarrassment was abated quickly as his attention was refocused. "Ah, Mr. Jackson, thank you for joining us," the headmaster replied formally, though the headmaster was almost always formal in the company of students. "I've had a chance to chat with the Urquharts, and they also want to re-attempt the placement. Now, Mrs. Johnson may be forced to change the situation upon her return, but she will have my recommendation to endorse the placement officially." Daniel gave a nod of understanding, but refused to look at anyone directly, preferring his hands on his lap. "We've already covered all the basics of your grandfather's arrangement with the school and the breakdown of responsibilities. I would like to open up the room to any questions or concerns anyone has. This includes the other faculty members in the room as well, Mrs. Hawthorne and Mrs. McPherson."

Daniel looked around nervously, waiting for someone to say anything, but instead he found five sets of eyes on him. "No, I'm good, sir," he mumbled. He watched as the headmaster turned his attention to the Urquharts, who shook their heads simultaneously.

Another awkward moment of silence was finally broken when Mrs. McPherson opened the door to the main office and Rocco strode in. "Ah, yes, one last logistical issue to bring up," the headmaster pronounced as he gave a nod of greeting to Rocco. "Mr. Jackson's grandfather, Dr. Ballard, hired Mr. Sabitini here to escort Daniel to school every morning and return him in the evenings. Mr. Sabitini, care to share your arrangement with the Urquharts?"

Rocco nodded with his entire body and gave both a wide grin. "Of course, sir. Daniel and I have a set time that he has to be ready by. And I'll have you know that until this morning, he's always been early and never been a problem for me!" He quickly winked at Daniel from across the desk. "Based on the time it took me to get to your house this morning, I'm thinking you need Daniel ready to go by eight a.m. sharp. It used to be eight-ten, but you folks are a little further out. Now, young Mr. Jackson needs to be responsible to be on time, so I will give him until five minutes after eight to be out the door before I have to tell Mrs. McPherson, but like I said, I ain't never had to do that yet, and I don't expect I'll have to, will I, kiddo?" Daniel shook his head pronouncedly. "I pick him up every night here at six pm and deliver him straight home. So far, it's worked out real well." Rocco's cheerful disposition made Daniel smile just a little.

* * *

><p>"Thank you, Mr. Sabitini. I believe this concludes this conference, unless anyone has any last concerns?" Allister finally felt satisfaction for the resolution of today's crisis as everyone in the room shook their heads or replied in soft 'no's'.<p>

"I want to thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Urquhart, for meeting with me. I've taken quite an interest in young Daniel here after his grandfather came to me initially. At least this way I got to meet the two of you before handing one of my prized students over to strangers. This is, hopefully, the last of these meetings I will have to host, but knowing the Social Service system, I sadly doubt it will be." Allister shook hands with both of the foster parents before putting one hand on Daniel's shoulder. "I expect Daniel to keep me informed of any new developments on the home front, and I will keep you informed of his academic standing. Mr. Sabitini will drive the three of you home whenever you are ready. Daniel may need to get some things from his locker before he goes though, and I think, sir, you have a biology book still up in the infirmary." He gave a wink to Daniel as he nodded back in response. Mrs. Urquhart gave visual permission for Daniel to grab his things while Allister and Rocco escorted the parents out towards the front door.

Rocco excused himself at the door to pull the car around as Headmaster Thomas and the Urquharts approached the main door to the school. Grateful for the opportunity to speak to the Urquharts alone, he quickly began a quiet conversation.

"Mr. and Mrs. Urquhart, I wanted to thank both of you again personally for coming to visit with me this afternoon. I don't know much about Daniel's previous placements, but I think this one will be very good for him, just as this school has been. If either of you have any difficulties, questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to let me know. Daniel's grandfather is one of my oldest and closest friends, and I have quickly come to care for Daniel as if he was my own since he started here at St. Antholian's. Anything you need, I will see to it personally to the best of my abilities." Allister handed over two business cards with handwritten additions to the printed material. "My personal lines are included on the back of the cards."

Mrs. Urquhart gratefully accepted the cards and fumbled with her purse to put them away as Allister shook Mr. Urquhart's hand one last time. "One more thing-keep Daniel home from school tomorrow. It's been a stressful weekend for all of you, and if I were in his shoes, I would benefit from a day to relax."

"That's a great idea, Headmaster," Mrs. Urquhart replied, "It would give Daniel and I a chance to get used to each other's company. I can't imagine what it must be like to be a foster child being shuffled about." She also shook Allister's hand just as Daniel was walking through the great hall towards them, laden with his school bag and blazer.

* * *

><p>"Ready to go?" Mrs. Urquhart asked, her cheerfulness somewhat artificial to hide the lingering guilt of this morning's events. Her heart tugged at her when she saw Daniel emerge into the Great Hall. She noticed an immediate sense of comfort in the boy after being in the school. He seemed genuinely relieved as he hefted his bag higher on his shoulder and indicated he was ready.<p>

"Mr. Jackson, a word," the Headmaster called, and bent down to quietly discuss something with the boy. Lisa felt her husband's arm snake around her waist and tighten gently, pulling her body against hers as he kissed her temple. Relishing in the sensation, she leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed. She watched Daniel intensely, his face changing from confusion to what seemed a hint of sadness to an aged wisdom she had never seen in a boy so young. Daniel nodded his head at what the Headmaster was telling him before giving a small wave and joining Lisa and her husband.

"Everything okay?" Mark questioned when Daniel stopped in front of them. Daniel didn't look up at Lisa or Mark, but nodded his head as he shifted the weight of his schoolbag on his shoulder again. "Okay then, off we go!" Mark lavishly pointed towards the front door over-dramatically, and Lisa couldn't help but notice Daniel smile at the dorky way Mark was acting. She adored her husband, even if his dorkiness was a bit much to take sometimes. It was situations like these, though, where the ice was easily broken with a bit of immature humor and drama.

Rocco stood waiting at the back door to his Rolls Royce. Mark whistled a catcall to the car. "This beats the public bus system any day," he commented with a smile, "I, for one, am envious! I thought I had it good this afternoon when I splurged for a cab ride out this way."

Daniel couldn't help but return the smile. "Yes, it does." Lisa sensed more in the tone of Daniel's voice than she had expected; the way he said those three simple words indicated it was an absolute truth to him, and she wondered if Daniel was not referring to public school buses as well and not just the MTA buses.

Mark helped Lisa into the car before motioning Daniel in next and lowering himself inside the car last. The Rolls was amply large to accommodate all three in the backseat with almost no squishing, but Lisa noticed a slight awkwardness in the silence following Rocco's calling the car to life.


	9. Reflections on the Day

Daniel collapsed on the bed as soon as he walked into his bedroom. Today was confusing to say the least. He was torn about his initial assessment of the Urquharts. Prior experience told him this was just a honeymoon period hich might end at any moment, as early as tomorrow morning. But Headmaster Thomas seemed positive about the placement, and as he had no one else to trust in, he trusted the headmaster.

Even more confusing to Daniel was that he actually wanted to trust them as well. He remembered his shock concerning the way they reacted to the money Nick was putting into the school. They seemed genuine, but then again, maybe they seemed genuine because he wanted to believe they were. By instinct developed from three years in the foster care system, he had hesitated as long as he could opening up to Lisa and Mark, but they seemed genuinely interested in the questions they asked. They inquired about school, his favorite subjects, his after-school activities. He couldn't remember another foster family who had shown an interest, and he wasn't sure he wanted them to know about St. A's. It was his school, not theirs, and he didn't want it spoiled by anyone. Just then, Daniel's chest tightened in anxiety as he mulled over that thought. He hadn't realized just how strongly he felt about the school until today. He felt safe there; safe and wanted and cared for.

He felt the swell of tears in his eyes, and pinched them shut to keep himself from crying. But the rush of emotions inside of him was too strong. He removed his glasses and tossed them carelessly on the nightstand next to him, then turned over onto his stomach and buried his head in his pillow. His emotions were no longer in his control, his thoughts racing through his mind. He missed his parents more today than he had in months; he missed Nick. He even missed Mrs. Johnson. Irrational thoughts also creeped in; he began to worry about flunking out of St. Antholian's, being given back by the Urquharts to Social Services, being called a baby for all the tears he was crying right now if anyone found out. Immediately any audible sobbing that might have escaped him was silenced as he dug deeper into the pillow and finally crawled under the blankets, covering him up completely.

Before long, Daniel heard the door to his bedroom open, followed by the shuffling of feet. He held back any sniffling and remained totally silent for what seemed like ages before the door closed again. He released the pent up emotions with a sigh of relief as they, whether it was Lisa, Mark, or both of them, didn't see or hear him crying. But with that relief came anger. He was angry that they dared to look in on him as if he was an eight year old. No one else saw the need to look in on him since his parents, and no one else needed to. He was angry with himself for falling so easily into hope. It didn't do him any good to hope, so why did he always do this to himself? Just as quickly, he tossed the thought aside and focused once more on St. A's. He wanted to go to school tomorrow, not be stuck in the house with the Urquharts. What was the headmaster thinking, insisting he stay home? No, he shouldn't be angry with Headmaster Thomas. It wasn't his fault he didn't understand foster care. Anxiety grabbed him again when he thought about all the work he was going to have to make up for today and tomorrow. He really wanted to go to school tomorrow. Frustration swelled deep in his chest and brought forth tears again. The Urquharts mentioned they would chat about house rules and the like. He sought escape from further frustration and anger by dreaming of Egypt. He imagined himself on a dig with his parents. They were a bit of a blur, but he reached back to remember how it felt to be with them, and with that thought in mind, he finally fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Lisa was content to see Daniel at least under the covers when she looked in on him before heading to bed. She and Mark did everything they could at dinner to make sure Daniel knew that he was welcome and wanted in the home, but she wasn't terribly sure he understood their intention. She couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty for this morning's situation, no matter how much the headmaster at St. Antholian's told her otherwise.<p>

She made her way to bed, where Mark was already stretched out in his 'come on and curl up and we'll talk' stance, with his arm stretched out over her pillow so her head could rest upon his chest. She gave a grateful smile and crawled into position, rubbing the center of his chest gently with her fingertips. He curled his arm back around her and rubbed her arm. "Well, I certainly didn't expect today to happen like it did."

"Lisa, honey, I don't think anyone could have anticipated today. But on the bright side, it seems like they didn't hand us the terror of a child Mrs. Rogers told us to expect."

Lisa nodded her head. "You're right, but that doesn't mean Daniel doesn't have issues we're going to have to help him through. But it seems at least we don't have to worry about getting a phone call from the police one night. I think I the first thing I will do in the morning is toss the phone number for the truancy officer. I can't believe I called him like that!" Her latent guilt was easily apparent to Mark, who held her more tightly.

"What's done is done, and as the headmaster explained, it really is Mrs. Roger's fault. Daniel came home with us, right? Everything is going to be just fine. Daniel's better off already; he's got a whole network of people looking out for him, whether he knows it or not. We're not doing this alone, not by a long shot. We pretty much lucked out, sweetie. We've got a kid who actually likes going to school. That's half the battle right there!"

Lisa couldn't help but laugh in agreement with Mark's assessment. Knowing all of the horror stories Mark's mother told her about him, if Daniel was willing and excited to go to school, it certainly would reduce the amount of stress on a parent. Maybe everything will be okay.

With that thought, the two rested in silence until each tumbled into a deep sleep.

* * *

><p>Elaine closed the door, leaving Allister alone in his office. School hours had long since passed, and the faculty he invited into conference concerning Daniel were slowly trickling out of the school for the night. He sat in a weary silence for several minutes, sipping on a hot tea warming his hands, when a knock on his door brought him out of his thoughts. He called out permission to enter, giving a brief smile to James Baird when he entered the office and took a seat in front of the headmaster's desk.<p>

"Quite a day, huh, Allister?"

"Quite a day, indeed." Allister sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I honestly can't imagine how I'd react if I was put in the same situation as that little boy. I had no idea how deeply he needed this school until today when he thought he had lost it all." Allister lost track of the conversation for a moment, trying to control the myriad of thoughts running through his head. He felt a headache start to form from the storm of thoughts.

"Allister, I don't know the entire story of Daniel's past, but I do know that this school is where he considers home, not wherever he may sleep at night. It's evident in the change in his demeanor and his confidence in just a few months. While he may seem like a quiet, shy boy, he quickly gets animated when talking to me, and I know that is true of several of his other teachers. I haven't noticed him really open up to students, yet, but it's just a matter of time as he continues to settle in here."

Allister looked back at James. "That's good to hear, James. I don't see him in class, so I can only stipulate from teacher reports how he's doing academically, with only tidbits on how he's doing otherwise."

"So, what's the fallout from this situation?" James asked casually.

Allister sighed. "Surprisingly little. The Archdiocese didn't have a problem with how I handled things today. As it is, Daniel's an experiment to them in Stewardship. They're very interested to see how a foster kid survives the rigors of the elite New York Catholic school system, let alone St. A's. As Daniel's grandfather is not only financially supporting this experiment but also donating greatly to the school and the Archdiocese, they've got little to complain about. There'll be reports I have to write, but as long as the school and the Archdiocese look good, they've pretty much given me carte blanche to do what is necessary. The big fallout is when Mrs. Johnson, Daniel's caseworker, finds out what happens. I wouldn't be surprised if we read in the newspaper about a fight breaking out at Social Services when she finds out."

James nodded in approval with a bit of a laugh. "Well, then I'll let you get back to those reports. It's late, Allister. Make sure to head home shortly!" James stood up, proffered his hand to Allister, who promptly shook hands with him, and then exited. Allister sighed once more, looked at the cluttered papers on his desk, and decided this could all be done tomorrow. He shuffled them into a neat stack and in swift order gathered his coat, turned off the light, and walked out of his office for the evening.


End file.
